Error in assignment to expression with array type

Question

I am trying to code a program that shows the Easter day when the user inputs the year between 1991 and 2099. All are good but when I am trying to run the program, it says there is an error: assignment to expression with array type. How can I fix this? and what is the wrong with my code?

#include <stdio.h>
#include <stdlib.h>

int main()
{
char month[50];
int year, day;
printf("Please enter a year between 1990 and 2099: ");
scanf("%d", &year);


int a = year-1900;
int b = a%19;
int c = (7*b+1)/19;
int d = (11*b+4-c)%29;
int e = a/4;
int f = (a+e+31-d)%7;
int g = 25 - (d + f);

if (g <= 0 )
{
    month = "March";
    day = 31 + g;
}
else
{
    month = "April";
    day = g;
}
    printf("The date is %s %d", month, day);

}

You could also change it to a pointer variable: char *month. — Barmar
– Barmar, Commented Oct 25, 2021 at 17:31
It's best to avoid rolling your own calendar functions. Calendars are weird. In this case it will probably barely suffice, though. — Cheatah
– Cheatah, Commented Oct 25, 2021 at 17:45
Always check the return value of scanf etc., and abort (e.g. abort();) on failure. — pts
– pts, Commented Oct 25, 2021 at 18:04

Vlad from Moscow · Accepted Answer · 2021-10-25 17:46:55Z

2

Arrays do not have the assignment operator. Arrays are non-modifiable lvalues.

To change the content of an array use for example the standard string function strcpy.

#include <string.h >

//...

strcpy( month, "March" );

An alternative approach is to declare the variable month as a pointer. For example

char *month;

or (that is better)

const char *month;

In this case you may write

month = "March";

answered Oct 25, 2021 at 17:46

Vlad from Moscow

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4 Comments

ikegami Over a year ago

"lvalue" literally means "can be used on the LHS of an assignment". Did you mean "rvalue"?

Vlad from Moscow Over a year ago

@ikegami No according to the C Standard arrays are non-modifiable lvalues.

ikegami Over a year ago

Ok, but how odd

Barmar Over a year ago

@ikegami The origin of the terms refers to where they appear in assignments, language details sometimes make those meanings not apply. An lvalue is an expression that denotes a memory location, while an rvalue is a value without an associated location (it can be a temporary value from an expression).

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